Crafting: Mini Kingkong 2

When I got my new smartphone (a cheap outdoor device by some unknown Chinese maker – I was adamant on having something that fits in my pocket and can be paid for with money rather than organ donations so my selection was slim), the packaging inspired me to make another board game: The box is small, black and has the device name printed on it in golden letters: Kingkong Mini 2. Awesome name for a board game that fits in a coat pocket and has you fighting the giant ape, I think.

 

Said Smart Phone Packaging really lends itself to a board game.

Evangelion as gaming inspiration

A few weeks ago I re-watched Neon Genesis Evangelion. It came to me that this would be awesome material for a deep roleplaying game: Every player being a board-member of a society tasked with defending mankind against an unknowable and almost godlike foe. Everyone having their own secret agenda. Dealing with the stupid shenanigans of your immature pilots who keep fucking up and making things worse whenever not in the cockpit.

So I started making that game for myself. It's going to be a journalling experience for solo players when it's done – I simply do not have the free time or mental capacity left to make a campaign like that as a pen&paper-RPG for my friends. Thus far I've been testing the combat system and the balancing of the Evas Titans that NERV the Kaijuu Boueigun (Kaiju Defense Force – KDF) fields. Kaiju and Titans alike have an ATP PMS-Field, the Projection Manifestation Simulacrum, which makes things of that size work by de facto magic. The Titans may not be fuelled by anyone's mother's souls (a concept that even my seven-year-old derided as stupid when I explainde Evangelion to him), but they are actually the twin of the pilot (but changed). This is a handy concept because it also explains why the Kaijuu Boueigun sends 14-year-olds to war – that's how long the technology has been around and that's how long it takes for a Titan to reach maturity.

Unlike in Evangelion, conventional weapons can be of some help in my game. Thus, whenever the Titans are damaged or insufficiently armed, the JSDF can be asked to provide support in the form of tanks, air strikes, attack helicopters or tactical nuclear weaponry. These use favour-points though and should thus be fielded very sparingly. Also: These things are weak. A group of 12 tanks has 1 HP, some minor chance of surviving a hit and deal 1 damage. Most Angels Kaiju will soak like 5 damage per round of combat or be completely immune to conventional weaponry.

I've so far played through six encounters with angels Kaiju. Combat seems to work (but I will keep going with that campaign in order to test more Kaiju as I make them up). I'm also working on the social system that is going to be much of the game: The pilots causing trouble, having difficult relationships with one another and then traitorous adults in your ranks like military liaisons pushing for more conventional warfare, industrialists wanting robots instead of Titans and of course the crazy dude who just wants to liquefy all of mankind.

It's actually great fun to journal this sort of thing. Might acutally finish this one and put it up on Itch. Definetly doing to do some play-reports here.

The Epic Adventures of Paul the Nice Thief, part 1

 During our quarantine, I started a role playing campaign with my older son, who turned six this summer. I hesitate to call it “pen and paper” because as my player can’t read yet, there is hardly any pen&papering involved. After the first session I did write down the basic facts for his character though, so I guess it qualifies. The system is almost purely narrative-based. As we started playing while walking in circles in our backyard, pushing the stroller with our sleeping toddler, there are not dice involved.

The character is just a scant few points of data: Name, class, health points, experience points, skills (three to begin with) and equipment. I guided my son through the character creation process by asking him if he wanted to be a warrior, a thief, an archer or a wizard. Of course, he chose to be a thief (his favorite in Heroica as well as Pixel Dungeon). I gave him 4 HP for that, as well as the starting skills sneaking, climbing and reading tracks. Then he got to choose a weapon and a starting item of power. He chose a set of three throwing knives and a disguising cape that could render you invisible while immobile and holding your breath.

I decided to start my son’s adventuring career with a classic premise: The dungeon run. A wizard named Xerax has a tomb that is rumored to be guarded by traps and foul creatures. It is located a day’s march from a nearby village and Paul, our thief, has heard of it. Next up: Paul’s first adventure. I will write it up straight-faced – my son playing a grown-up (as he thinks what that would be like) leads to some Vincent-Adultman-situations which are great fun for me. And perhaps for you as well, my fives of readers.